Getting used to one bass

[AntLockyer]

Something happened this morning. I was doing a chord tone exercise where you play all the chord tones on a single string (so starting on the E string. Cmaj7 E, G, B, C, E etc.) I was doing it on my Aria which I knew would be different to my P basses because it has a 2 octave neck.

Anyway, when I did pick up a P bass afterwards and try ot do the same thing it wasn't automatic. The notes were effectively in a different place in space and without that extra note at the top, the run up and down the neck sounded different. I went back to the Aria and it felt right.

So you guys who have multiple instruments of different scale lengths, number of frets, number of strings even. How do you get round this? Do you practice everything in all 12 scales on all the basses? Do you do something else? Or have you realised this is an issue and now only have 1 bass or type of bass?

cheers

[chris_b]

You just need to play both basses until you don't notice their differences.

Edited April 13, 2015 by chris_b

[Cameronj279]

I have a complete inability to comfortably play any bass with less than 24 frets. Everything just seems further away and more of a stretch.

Weirdly I feel perfectly at home when using a bass with more than 24 fret, current bass has 26 and is great to play.

[Marc S]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1428919061' post='2745838']
You just need to play both basses until you don't notice their differences.
[/quote]

+1

Personally, I find it's nice to have different basses
each with it's own feel & sound

Years back, I could only afford one bass
I found the result of this was, that I was really used to that bass
but on picking up other peoples basses, some felt rather alien to me
Now I've got too many lol - but I find I can pick up other basses, and am more comfortable with them

Maybe just alter your scale exercises to suit each bass

[SubsonicSimpleton]

My 2p is that accepting the limitations of one main instrument and maximising the potential of your muscle memory is more beneficial, on the basis that swapping instruments usually means having to think about what I'm doing to a certain extent rather than it being second nature. I'm sure it is possible to get a high level of familiarity with multiple instruments, but practice time is too valuable and life too short to spend it relearning how to do stuff I can already do when my time would be better spent working on things I need to improve or can't do yet.

[discreet]

I don't practice scales. If I can play everything I need to play on my basses, that's fine.
I notice the difference between P and J-type neck sizes, which doesn't bother me.

[Grangur]

[quote name='SubsonicSimpleton' timestamp='1428921680' post='2745892']
My 2p is that accepting the limitations of one main instrument and maximising the potential of your muscle memory is more beneficial, on the basis that swapping instruments usually means having to think about what I'm doing to a certain extent rather than it being second nature. I'm sure it is possible to get a high level of familiarity with multiple instruments, but practice time is too valuable and life too short to spend it relearning how to do stuff I can already do when my time would be better spent working on things I need to improve or can't do yet.
[/quote] +1

I used to give in to GAS and acquired a range of different basses. Now I just stick to one make/style and (try to) stop GASing.

The hard fact of life is there is no bass on ebay/Thomann/Gumtree/BC, that will give you the instant transformation to play like Wooten/Pino/Jaco/etc. Get over it and keep plugging on the same bass. The minor difference in tone between basses and pup configurations wont provide any magic ingredient that will make that much difference. (If only I could convince myself of this too.)

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1428922593' post='2745905']
I don't practice scales. If I can play everything I need to play on my basses, that's fine.
I notice the difference between P and J-type neck sizes, which doesn't bother me.
[/quote]
Funnily enough Chris Squire says he doesn't practice scales either. I wonder why that is? Maybe THAT's where I'm going wrong?

[discreet]

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1428923208' post='2745915']
Funnily enough Chris Squire says he doesn't practice scales either. I wonder why that is? Maybe THAT's where I'm going wrong?
[/quote]

I concentrate on learning what I need to know for the songs I'm required to play and lines I play for my own entertainment never include scales... I'm not saying it's wrong to practice scales (I'm sure they're beneficial), but to me that kind of practice is a chore, and anything that detracts from my enjoyment of playing bass tends to go right out the window.

There are plenty of tedious tasks I have to do that I don't like doing, and I'm not carrying that over into an activity I really like!!
If the day ever comes when bass playing seems to be an obligation or something I don't look forward to, that's when I give it up!

[Grangur]

@ Discreet. Yeah. I do realise that. I'm only envious

[EliasMooseblaster]

[quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1428921087' post='2745870']

Personally, I find it's nice to have different basses each with it's own feel & sound

[/quote]

That's my excuse for owning so many of the damn things, and I'm sticking to it!

I know what AntLockyer mean, though - most of my basses can be divided into two types: Fender-type, and Gibson long-scale-type. Both are 34" scale lengths, it's just about the way they sit - with my various Precision clones, the 12th fret usually sits just to the side of my belly*, whilst on my T-bird and SG, the 12th fret seems to be over on the opposite side of the stage!

To be honest, I think the simple/boring answer is just to get used to playing each one until you don't notice any more.

[size=3]*at least, I'm trying to imagine it on me whilst at my desk, and trying not to make too many weird air-guitaring shapes in case my colleagues start to look at me like I've lost the plot (again)...[/size]

[Spoombung]

I rotate between a fretless 34" and a fretted 31" at gigs and I must say it irritates the hell out of me as everything's in a different place. I must find a solution!

[Qlank]

I have far too many basses. I got a Ric copy last year and feels and sounds perfect. It's the only one I use now apart from the fretless.
Something really interesting I found out is that I can get the same sound from pretty much any bass.

[Skol303]

[quote name='Spoombung' timestamp='1428925656' post='2745948']
I rotate between a fretless 34" and a fretted 31" at gigs and I must say it irritates the hell out of me as everything's in a different place. I must find a solution!
[/quote]

Get a 5-string!!

[cheddatom]

I have all sorts and never notice a difference switching between them, other than the sound and number of strings available. I also play a lot of guitar. Never noticed a problem?! Maybe I'm just not good enough to notice

[discreet]

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1428928557' post='2745982']
Maybe I'm just not good enough to notice
[/quote]

Or just maybe... you're TOO good!!

[Lozz196]

I`m pretty much a Precision player only, but if I pick up a Jazz now I don`t notice it as much as I used to - really couldn`t stand them although I really wanted to like them. Now to me it`s just another bass, but then I don`t play much that`s complicated anyway.

[tauzero]

I don't play with the ceilidh band any more, but I used to switch between an Ashbory Mk 1 (19" scale), fretless Thumb (very slim neck), and NS WAV-4 EUB during gigs, just playing whichever one took my fancy at the time. Didn't find any problem with that.

[AntLockyer]

I can switch betweens guitars no problem when playing songs, just when doing exercises like that one I notice. That exercise actually turned out to be awesome, improvised some great basslines today because of it.

[jazzyvee]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1428919061' post='2745838']
You just need to play both basses until you don't notice their differences.
[/quote]
+ 1

I have 35, 34 and 30.75" basses and don't find changing between them a problem. There are only certain tracks I play on the short scale bass so my fingers are pretty much calibrated to that bass when I do those songs. But as others have said It's just time on those instruments that make the transitions between different basses more comfortable as neck widths, string spacings and position of tone controls can be different. After a while your fingers just know which bass you have and taking control of it becomes more automatic.

[casapete]

Agreed. I play most of my gigs on a standard Fender bass with 34" scale. However at my weekly pub residency I use a Danelectro Longhorn
with a short scale and both feel right for their respective jobs,with no problem making the change either way. Guess the real tester though would
be to try swapping basses around, using them on the 'wrong' gigs and see what happens.....

[discreet]

[quote name='casapete' timestamp='1429055879' post='2747603']
Guess the real tester though would be to try swapping basses around, using them on the 'wrong' gigs and see what happens...
[/quote]

Be sure to video the result for a 'bass player at the wrong gig' viral internet sensation.
If you wore ladies panties and a short tutu it would definitely help and kill two birds with one stone. Or something.

[grenadilla]

It is a little strange to change basses, but in a good way. Also to play a "D" pattern at the 10th fret on the E string when you usually play it 5th fret, A string. -the Old Spice of life!

[AntLockyer]

[quote name='grenadilla' timestamp='1429062200' post='2747632']
It is a little strange to change basses, but in a good way. Also to play a "D" pattern at the 10th fret on the E string when you usually play it 5th fret, A string. -the Old Spice of life!
[/quote]

Well I think this is exactly what this particular exercise is all about. Getting away from patterns, thinking in notes and knowing where those notes are all over the place. Playing an Amaj7 chord, focusing mainly on the A, C#, E and G#, moving around the neck and adding other chromatic notes where needed makes for much more fluidity that learning the shape starting on the 5th fret of the E string or even mixing it up to be the 12th fret of the A string.

It's exactly what I needed in my bass playing and it's going to be a long road.